Cal’s Jabari Bird misses NCAA game with ‘random’ back spasms

SPOKANE, Wash. — Cal was perhaps never more in need of Jabari Bird than in Friday’s 77-66 loss to Hawaii in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

As the Bears’ clanged jumpers mounted, their most clutch shooter nursed an ailing back. Cal’s offense appeared discombobulated much of the game, in part because Bird was scratched from the starting lineup moments before tip-off.

“It’s just so random,” Bird said after the game. “I don’t even know what to think about it. It just happened. Right now, I’m just concerned about getting healthy and thinking about next year.”

Bird dealt with back spasms during Thursday’s shootaround. To prepare for his first career NCAA Tournament game, the junior iced, stretched and took Advil.

But he still felt a severe tightness in his back during warm-ups Friday. As players lined up for pregame introductions, Bird told head coach Cuonzo Martin that he wasn’t ready. Martin plugged guard Jordan Mathews into the starting lineup as Bird headed to the locker room.

He underwent treatment for the entire first half. When lifting and anti-inflammatories didn’t work, Bird was iced by the team trainer. He could hardly walk by the start of the second half, so the Vallejo native parked at the end of Cal’s bench and barked words of support to his teammates.

California's Jabari Bird catches a pass during practice a day before a first round men's college basketball game against Hawaii in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Wash., Thursday, March 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) less

California's Jabari Bird catches a pass during practice a day before a first round men's college basketball game against Hawaii in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Wash., Thursday, March 17, 2016. (AP ... more

Photo: Young Kwak, AP

Photo: Young Kwak, AP

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California's Jabari Bird catches a pass during practice a day before a first round men's college basketball game against Hawaii in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Wash., Thursday, March 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) less

California's Jabari Bird catches a pass during practice a day before a first round men's college basketball game against Hawaii in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Wash., Thursday, March 17, 2016. (AP ... more

Photo: Young Kwak, AP

Cal’s Jabari Bird misses NCAA game with ‘random’ back spasms

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“Of course it impacts you,” Martin said. “When he’s not on the floor, you can collapse a little bit more.”

Added forward Ivan Rabb: “I thought he was going to come back later in the game, but he never did. He wouldn’t sit out if it wasn’t a significant injury, so I respect it.”

Over his last 11 games, Bird went 30-for-55 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc. He hit three second-half three-pointers last week in Cal’s Pac-12 quarterfinal win over Oregon State. The next day, Bird twice netted go-ahead baskets late in the Bears’ overtime loss to Utah.

The two players who earned more minutes in Bird’s absence, forward Roger Moute a Bidias and guard StephenDomingo, went a combined 0-for-9 from the field. Each time the Bears inched within striking distance in the second half, they missed shots.

“Horrible, mentally and physically,” Bird said when asked how he felt. “You just took a tough (loss). ... But physically, I just didn’t have it today.”

Martin not worried: In the postgame news conference, Martin had a curious answer when asked about his future with the program.

“Well for me, I’m fine,” he said. “My situation will be what I determine it will be, so I am fine.”

Cal is taking a closer look at whether Martin fulfilled his duties as a mandatory reporter of sexual-harassment allegations against assistant coach Yann Hufnagel, who was fired Monday. If that review yields troubling revelations, Martin could be facing disciplinary action.

Friday’s first-round exit also figures to make him a less intriguing candidate for another head coaching job. UNLV, Rutgers and Oklahoma State are a few of the Division I programs with openings.

NCAA rules changes afford the forwards more time to make a choice. College players can now attend the pre-draft NBA combine camp May 11-15 in Chicago, as well as workouts for franchises, while staying in school until the May 25 deadline to apply for the draft.